Interlude One: Dance on Strings
by Eros ex Nihilo
Summary: Kankurou and Tenten are on a joint mission to assassinate a traitor from Suna who has stolen one of Tenten’s prized weapons. Lemony goodness ensues, rating will up.
1. Part One

**Author's Note (Part 1):** This is the Kankurou/Tenten –centric interlude between _The Divine Winds of Suna _and _The Hell Fire of Konoha_. It can be read independently and does not need to be read to understand the story after it. Please read, enjoy, and review!

* * *

**Interlude:**

**DANCE ON STRINGS**

**Part One**

Tenten bent over her feet, prodding the soles gently. They were tender still, but Sakura had done a good job healing them so quickly. A few more days and Tenten would probably have developed a much more severe infection. Sakura said she was lucky, and Tenten agreed – she was lucky to be alive.

As instructed, Tenten rubbed her feet with a special lotion Sakura made for her, and then wrapped her feet in thin cloth. Sakura said to stay out of shoes for a while, and not to get any sand on her feet. Unfortunately, that was damn near impossible in the desert of Kaze no Kuni. It meant Tenten had to be especially careful to wash her feet often, and the process of washing, lotioning, and wrapping seemed almost endless.

Tying the thin cotton at the curve of her ankle, Tenten sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back on her sleeping mat. The other Konoha shinobi (Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, Sakura, and Hinata) had left earlier that day, so Tenten's tent-mates were gone. Gaara, Temari, and their prisoners (escorted by several Suna ANBU) had left nearly three days ago. Tenten was now alone with Kankurō – _that smug bastard_, she thought – in the middle of the desert, awaiting the Kazekage's messenger hawk.

Tenten had received permission from Lady Tsunade to pursue a joint mission with Suna to retrieve _Lioness of the East_, as long as all information about Aizo (and Kurogō if they ran into him) was passed along to Konoha. The Kazekage appeared to have some conditions for a joint mission as well, and the two kage were working out details while the trail got colder and colder.

To occupy herself in the boredom of her tent, Tenten retrieved her scroll of weapons (which Shikamaru had been kind enough to bring with him from the underground tunnels beneath Suna). There was a whetstone in the encampment that she had been using, and it was far superior to any of the whetstones she brought with her on the road. In fact, it was superior to the whetstone she had at home.

On the road, and on missions, Tenten only brought one sharpening stone with her, as most of her weapons would have been honed down to a perfect edge before the mission began. They might require some maintenance along the way, and Tenten liked her blades sharp enough to slice flesh with only the weight of them. However, at home where she had her workshop and weapons storage, she kept a professional set of four whetstones. The first was the ara-to, the rough stone; followed by the naka-to, the medium stone; and finally the shiage-to, the finishing stone. The fourth stone, the nagura, was used to make a slurry for the shiage-to.

It was convenient to find these whetstones, and she assumed the enemy encampment had probably needed them since there had been a large number of ninja and warriors stationed there. She hoped no one would mind when she liberated them from the enemy's weapons tent.

Tenten released a large number of edged weapons, detaching their wire strings in order to sharpen them correctly. Working at an even pace, Tenten could go through her whole scroll in about four days. She was on day two and nearly done. There was literally nothing else she could do since Sakura had ordered her on _extremely limited_ training until she was back to 100%. Tenten knew that Sakura was gone, and she could do anything she wanted without it getting reported back to Tsunade. However, something in the pink-haired girl's eyes told Tenten it would be very bad for her if she disobeyed the medic's orders.

So Tenten shrugged, moving her first kunai smoothly and rhythmically across the stone's white surface. It was a practiced movement, and now second nature. Her muscles had memorized the movements, and she knew all the tricks to get nicks and scratches from any kind of weapon made of any kind of metal.

It was more than just a duty though, it was a relaxation activity. She and her father would do this together – he was a weapons master as well – and Tenten had many fond memories of those times. Her father would talk about duty and honor, and what it meant to be a ninja. He would tell her about their family history, and about her mother.

Tenten nearly jumped out of her skin when Kankurō called her from the other side of the tent. "I just got word from Gaara…"

Tenten sighed. So much for relaxing. "Don't come in – I'm…"

Kankurō came in.

"…not dressed."

Kankurō smirked at her, his eyes moving up her slender frame. They lingered on her exposed legs and midriff, making her cheeks flush ever so slightly. Tenten had never been prude. In fact, Neji, Lee, and Guy-sensei had all seen her in the exact state of undress. But being undressed before Lee and Guy-sensei was like being undressed before a three-year-old. And being undressed before Neji was like being undressed before one of your stuffed animals that had told you it was asexual and also had a mission to brood over.

Being undressed before Kankurō was a lot different – he was looking at her like a man looked at a woman. Tenten thought he seemed appreciative, and kind of hungry. The thought scared her a little, but also excited her.

In nothing but a loose undershirt and a pair of clean cotton panties, Tenten sat, looking over her shoulder at Kankurō as he smirked at her. "I don't think I've ever told you just how sexy your ass is," he said in a deep voice, approaching her.

"Pig," Tenten hissed back, snatching an olive green yukuta from her sleeping mats and tying it around the front swiftly.

It was significantly nicer than anything she owned. The cotton matched her eyes, and there were golden-brown cranes embroidered around the base and sleeves. Sakura found it for her – along with a brilliant red one that Tenten flat refused to wear. She insisted Sakura take it. They had scrounged around in the tent that the rebel's horde was stashed in, and found lots of clothes for females. Nice clothes. Tenten had picked out something to replace her clothes that were damaged in during her torture sessions. They were much nicer than anything she owned at home.

"Hey," Kankurō replied, shrugging his shoulders. "_You're_ the one that keeps on hanging out in your_ panties_. It's like you_ want_ me to catch you in them."

"And _you're_ the one that keeps_ walking in on me_ in my panties – it's like you _want_ me to throw this kunai through your eye socket." She smirked a little as he carefully eyed the kunai swinging in her fingers. "Then again, I just sharpened this one, and it's almost not worth it to scratch it against your thick skull."

He grinned roguishly – Tenten had to admit that she rather liked that grin. It made her insides shiver. Not that she would ever let him know that he was good-looking; she'd never hear the end of it. "I love it when you make threats on my life," he told her, winking.

Looking away and wrapping her arms around her waist, Tenten muttered, "All the more reason to stop _threatening_…"

Kankurō laughed at this and showed her the coded message. "Well, the good news is, both our kage have made a binding agreement concerning the joint mission. The bad news is, you won't get paid."

Tenten frowned. "But I get _Lioness_."

Kankurō nodded, sitting down cross-legged on the other side of her whetstone set. "In missions like these, the mission pay would normally come out of the funds of the criminal in question," he explained. "Tsunade-sama agreed to forfeit the mission pay in exchange for all the intelligence gathered, and your sword. We'll retain the mission pay, and allow a strictly internal matter to be dealt with by an outsider."

Tenten shrugged. She wasn't much for politics, but this sounded fair.

"We'll report to Temari as soon as you're fit to travel," Kankurō finished. "Gaara didn't want to write the mission details in the coded message."

Tenten frowned again, putting an elbow on her knee. "What's to go in detail about? Find Aizo and bring him back to Suna. Find _Lioness_ and take her home with me. We've already lost valuable time waiting for our kage to play politics, and the trail will only get cold when we return to Suna."

"Orders are orders," he said lazily, rolling up the missive and tucking it inside a pocket. "When will you be ready to leave?"

Her brows narrowed together. "Let's leave at sun-down this evening. We've pretty much secured this camp."

"And there will be shinobi from Suna along any day now to occupy it," Kankurō continued. Then he glanced at her feet, frowning a bit. "Are you sure –"

"If you know what's good for you, puppet boy, do not finish that question."

* * *

Kankurō crossed his arms, looking out southwest across the desert as the sun fell. For a few moments, the sand turned a dizzying color of silver and gold, and the sky seemed almost blood red. He wasn't much in the habit of noticing sunsets, but it was either that or nothing, so he could suffer. Still…it wasn't so bad. If Tenten was here, he was sure he would try to say something romantic, and then she would say something about how she'd like to cut him, and then they'd leave. But she was still in her tent, probably trying to hide from him like she'd been doing for the last several days.

Well, to be fair, it was certainly possible she was trying to hide from _everyone_. Hinata's cousin, that hard-faced bastard, was always creeping around like some damned black cat, bringing Kankurō bad luck every time he saw Tenten. They were on the same team, or had been on the same time, for several years, but Tenten didn't show him the same familiarity she showed Lee. Of course, Rock Lee needed a firmer hand than the Hyūga did, and Tenten was keen on keeping the caterpillar-brow from embarrassing her.

Hyūga Neji though…he was different. Tenten deferred to him, she respected him. Kankurō supposed he was a respectable kind of guy, the kind that was professional and honest and perfect, but something about the way he was around Tenten grated on Kankurō's nerves. It was like the Hyūga enjoyed getting in between Kankurō and Tenten when he was trying to fight with her. And he'd not missed the look Hyūga gave him several nights ago when the Kurogō's Kamikaze had attacked.

Tenten was collapsed on the ground behind him, and Kankurō had all his puppets out, dancing and protecting her and Hinata, too. Lee was there, and the stone soldiers were attacking, and everything was pretty much a blur. Kankurō's only clear thought was that he absolutely had to protect Tenten. With Hinata almost completely incapacitated, holding Tenten and close to tears, Kankurō was literally the last line of defense for the two kunoichi. He remembered how useful it would be to have someone at his back who could hit one hundred bull's eyes out of one hundred targets.

Then, after Sakura had gone smash and bash on the stone soldiers (looking bizarrely pleased with herself), Kankurō's only thought had been of Tenten. He didn't worry about Hinata – Lee was on top of that. And he didn't think about where his siblings were and if they might be safe. He watched as the pink-haired medical-nin healed the worst of Tenten's injuries. She had a broken jaw, her eye socket had multiple fractures, she'd severely torn the muscles and tendons around her shoulder, and there was bruising and cuts all over. And that didn't include the damage done to her feet.

Kankurō had somehow felt so useless. He'd been able to protect Tenten now, but what about before…and what about later? She'd murder him if she knew…well, if she knew he felt _protective_ of her. Yah, she was a big, bad kunoichi. She could hit a target at a million paces or something phenomenal, and she was strong and capable. But she was also kind of tiny, and if you just listened to her voice, you'd be surprised that she was as violent as she was. She had a very girlish voice…

A very girlish voice that was calling his name. "Oi! Kankurō! Is anyone up there?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

Still frowning, Kankurō looked down on her. Her hair was pulled into those buns at the top of her head, and she wore a desert-style cape around her slender shoulders. She looked almost amused, but it was quickly fading into concern. "Hey, Kankurō…"

"It's nothing," he muttered, uncrossing his arms. The sun was about to disappear, there was almost a sliver of it left on the horizon.

After a moment, Tenten shrugged. "Then let's go. I don't have all the time in the world to look at sunsets…unlike some people…"

Kankurō felt a smirk pricking in the corner of his mouth. "Well, what else was I gonna do while you did your hair?"

Looking unimpressed, Tenten raised an eyebrow. "You could have done a better job with this make-up. I mean, really…" she muttered, licking her thumb and bringing it to his nose.

"Woman! It's _face paint_!" he growled, batting her hands away.

She was quick, though, and caught his jaw with one hand. "What, did you put this on in the dark?"

"Oh, come on!" he complained when she finally landed her thumb underneath his eye. For a moment he was frozen, watching her wet her thumb again and brush it up against his cheek. She closed one eye, then scraped her nail across his skin lightly, making a clean line.

"There," she said softly. "And if you're going to play with make-up, you might as well pay attention."

He caught her wrist easily as she pulled away, the soft look in her eyes growing a bit darker when she gazed up at him. He smirked a little as her eyes grew a little wider when he leaned towards her. He couldn't believe that she was so innocent, but had still managed to capture his undivided attention. She was completely the opposite of any girl he'd ever been attracted to. "You don't need any excuses to touch me, Ten-chan," he said in a low voice.

At that she narrowed her eyes. Man, he couldn't even get in a good one-liner with this woman! What the hell did he have to do? This line would have worked on basically any other woman…but Tenten wasn't just _any other_ woman, and she'd tried to make that point several times. With the very _pointy_ point of her kunai.

Right on cue, he felt the cold steel of her blade as it pressed into his side. "Why do I keep forgetting you're such a pig?" she ground out, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

This time though, Kankurō was ready for her, and he wasn't sure if he was in the mood to be threatened either. Normally, Tenten was good fun…she was always up for a fight or for banter…but it was actually grating on his nerves now. It bothered him that everything she did he interpreted as flirting, and then she became so serious and vicious when he came on to her. This woman was confusing him, and pissing him off actually. Baring his teeth, Kankurō attached chakra strings to her kunai, then to her elbow, spinning her roughly and yanking the weapon from her fingers.

Tenten yelped in surprise, but he pulled her against his chest and trapped her arms with his own. Struggling against him was useless – she might be exceptionally skilled, but he had weight and height over her, and he wasn't completely useless in taijutsu. Kankurō held tight as she snarled and fought against him, and soon she was breathing quite heavily, sulking with her back against his chest.

"Let go of me," she said, her voice low, but rather empty of emotion. He had expected her to be much angrier.

Leaning down, Kankurō took a moment to just enjoy being close to her, smelling her neck. It was much nicer than having to protect his gut against kunai, or having her hold bladed weapons at his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining that this would be the way he would like to hold her. She was much more slender than he'd thought – somehow she seemed taller and more threatening when she stood alone.

"Wh…what are you doing?" she said, her voice quivering just a bit.

Kankurō smiled against her neck, inhaling her scent again. She smelled like whetstone and polish, kind of earthy with a hint of soap. Most girls would smell like flowers or fruit, but Tenten didn't care about things like that. Like she didn't care about if her nails were painted, or if her hair was blow dried. But her skin was very soft, nonetheless, and he pressed his nose against it and inhaled deeply.

"I'm smelling you," he replied, liking the way she shivered at the sound of his voice.

"…Why?"

Kankurō shrugged, running his nose along her hairline, down around her ear and neck. Her body was tense against his, like a loaded coil ready to spring. He noticed though, as he tilted her head to the side, that she didn't really resist him too much.

"Don't," she said in a soft voice, one that didn't sound very confident at all.

Kankurō smiled a little bit. "But you like it. I can tell…admit it."

"No…"

"No, you don't like it…or no, you won't admit it…"

"No…I…" She swallowed, and he felt her pretty throat contract against the skin of his cheek. "Kankurō…let me go."

She was shivering against him so violently that he thought she might be trying to not cry. Her face looked like she was in genuine pain, her eyes screwed shut tight and skin cold and clammy. Suddenly, Kankurō almost felt ashamed of himself. It wasn't something he felt often. He was a creature of the moment, after all, getting laughs and amusing himself without concern of others.

He'd forgotten that Tenten was younger than he was – only by a year, but that's not really how it felt. He had more experience than Tenten…and he was actually scaring her. Did she think…did she think that he would _force_ himself on her? And he was doing all this right after she'd been tortured and nearly killed by some psychopath. Why was he such a monster?

Trying not to startle her, Kankurō released Tenten gently. She stumbled out of his arms, and he shot out to grab her shoulder, to steady her. But she jumped away from him, a wild look of pain in her eyes. She had one hand against her neck as she backed away.

"Tenten…I…" he began, but he wasn't really sure what to say. He couldn't believe that she thought he would hurt her. He wouldn't ever hurt her. He only wanted to protect her.

"No!" she said sharply, looking away from him and crossing her arms. "It's fine."

"I didn't mean to –"

"I said it was fine," she snapped, giving him a hard look. "I don't have any right to be so familiar with you." Tenten paused, looking away again with distant eyes. "…You're not my teammate. Sorry I was so forward, Kankurō-san."

Kankurō frowned. "Right…" When he looked at her, her face was coolly blank, and she looked almost like that Hyūga boy when he had a stick up his ass. With a growl, Kankurō turned to face southwest again, towards Suna. "Let's go."

* * *

For the third time in ten minutes, Tenten took the point of her kunai and stabbed herself in the thigh. It was unseemly for her not to be able to keep her foot from tapping so annoyingly, and hopefully a little jab of pain would make her body remember that she was a _kunoichi_, not a five-year-old little girl impatient to get her toy back.

She glanced to either side – there was an elderly man in monks' robes, and to the other side was a group of ANBU conversing quietly. Kankurō was in Temari's office and had been for the last twenty minutes, probably just shooting the breeze for all she knew. Though, knowing what a chatter-mouth Kankurō was, and since she hadn't said a single word to him in two days, he was probably letting off some steam along with receiving the mission briefing. Tenten wasn't sure why she wasn't allowed in (after all, it was a _joint_ mission), but she didn't really feel like arguing about it. Suna had just as much at stake in this mission as she did. To be fair, maybe they had a little more. _Lioness _was just a sword…

This time, Tenten was about to dig the kunai more sharply into her thigh, when an old, gnarled hand snapped it from her fingers with graceful ease. Tenten jumped slightly when the old priest put a healing hand on her thigh, frowning and clucking his tongue. "A kunoichi as pretty as you shouldn't have such bad habits," he muttered kindly.

Tenten looked up from his glowing hand and to his face, wrinkled and spotted with age. "These days we call that sexual harassment, ojiisan," she said with a smirk.

The old man laughed, but didn't remove his hand after he'd finished healing her. "Well, I am old, and many things have changed since I wore one of these," he said, tapping her hitai-ite.

Tenten narrowed her eyes at the old monk, studying him closely. He wore the blue and white robes of a monk, his head was shaved clean, and his staff was leaning against the wall to his side. Though he looked fragile and brittle, Tenten could see the last vestiges of muscle moving under his withered skin and gnarled hands. His eyes were a russet brown, a shade or two lighter than Kankurō's, but the monk's eyes had the same kind of sarcastic mirth that Kankurō's did, which was probably the reason they made her think of the annoying Suna jōnin.

After a moment of regarding the old monk, Tenten stretched out her hand and beaconed for her weapon. "If you don't mind," she said evenly.

As a stranger in Suna, Tenten was cautious about the shinobi she ran into, especially the older ones. The younger ones more or less realized that Konoha was an ally, but older ones still recalled wars and battles long gone.

"A skillful job done, the sharpening of this blade," the old shinobi monk mused in a gentle voice that seemed to mock and question her at the same time. "It's good to see that young people still care for the state of their weapons. Who do you use?"

Tenten nodded, retracting her hand and narrowing her eyes. "Use for what?"

"Which blacksmith do you use to get this quality of blade? It's encouraging to see as fine of work as I saw in my youth," the older man replied.

Tenten felt her eye twitch slightly as she focused on the soft smirk on the man's mouth. "I wouldn't be much of a weapons master if I couldn't sharpen my own steal," she replied in a tightly controlled growl. Then she sneered, "And anyway, you won't find this quality in Suna with a guildmaster like Aizo. Suna's dominance in the manufacturing of bladed weapons is over – just like your _youth_. So, if you don't mind, return my kunai and mind to yourself."

And instead of getting the reaction she wanted – which would have been some measure of huffiness and possibly self-righteous indignation – the old monk barked out a loud, prolonged laugh, slapping his knee and wiping a jovial tear from his eye. "Fantastic! I am more and more impressed with you shinobi from Konoha! First a lazy genius that will surpass even myself, and now a weapons master with a tongue as sharp as her blade! Our Kazekage is not the psychopath he seems if he is allying himself with shinobi like yourself, Tenten of Konoha."

Tenten's heated face and fiery anger dissipated at the mention of her name. Cool suspicion flowed like ice through her veins, and she narrowed her eyes once more as the monk offered her back her kunai. "How do you know my name, ojiisan?" she asked in a soft, cautious voice.

At this the old monk smirked and laced his fingers in his lap. "How could I not know the woman who carried my master's sword? It would be irresponsible of me to let such a great weapon be handled by an incompetent weapons master."

Sometime burning gripped Tenten's heart, and it seared the muscle with the touch of fire. It was shame, and embarrassment, and self-loathing._ Lioness of the East_ had been entrusted to her – some might say too early – and though she had vowed to be worthy of the blade, it was now gone. It was wholly her fault, for she had been stupid and impulsive. When she got it back she fully planned to return it to her father, and ask him to keep it until she was ready. She would not disrespect Katsumata Hiragi's blade a second time.

"It would be," Tenten agreed in an edged tone. "I have no intention of letting _Lioness_ remain with that gutless traitor. I plan on killing him shortly."

The monk chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course, I meant Aizo, and not you. In fact, even my master would be proud of the way your family has kept his heirloom."

Tenten felt a rush of heat on her cheeks, and realized she was blushing. It took a moment, but when she controlled it, she gave the monk a sideways look. He was regarding her curiously, and she turned away. "If your master was _Lioness's_ owner, then that means you are Goto and Aizo's teammate, Tian Jhao. Since you're here, does that mean the Kazekage plans to bring charges against you?"

The old man raised a thick, white brow, a bit of surprise lingering on his face. "Sharp mind as well, I see," he murmured.

"I was debriefed," Tenten replied evenly. "You are the monk, Tian Jhao, the teammate of Goto and Aizo, the student of Katsumata Hirato."

"Hai, hai," Tian Jhao muttered, rolling his eyes and dismissing it with the wave of his hand. "Such a mouthful." Then he sighed, looking down the hall towards Temari's office door. He leaned forward and said in a whisper, "Come to Goto's Orphanage tonight. And leave that puppet brigadier behind. Now get on with you."

However, before Tenten could question Tian Jhao further, the old monk stood and was escorted away by several Suna ANBU Black Ops. Kankurō was giving her an odd look from the doorway of his sister's office. Instead of answering his silent quarry, Tenten sneered and turned on a heel. "Let me guess – more delays."

She could hear Kankurō's loud, annoyed exhale. "We're waiting on some intel that should arrive in a few days. Someone at the Wind Daimyo's palace thinks they might have seen Aizo."

Tenten frowned, turning back to Kankurō. "Well let's just go there and find out for ourselves. If it's bad intel then we'll just look elsewhere."

"It's not that simple," Kankurō said with a growl. "This is the Wind Daimyo we're talking about. This mission has just become more dangerous and damaging than a simple assassination."

Tenten felt the searing burn of shame in her heart again. The longer they delayed the longer it would take to recover _Lioness_ and kill Aizo. "Fine," she spat, glaring at him through narrowed eyes. Every time she saw him, Tenten wanted to send something sharp his way. "I won't wait forever, doll-boy."

"They are battle puppets!" Kankurou growled in a low tone. "Valid ninja weapons!"

Tenten felt her lip twitch into a swift smile.

* * *

Temari had suggested that Kankurō and Tenten stay at the Sand Sibling house out by the canyon until she had investigated the intelligence report about Aizo's whereabouts. While Kankurō wasn't exactly keen about staying put and keeping hidden at his family's home, he knew Tenten was far less pleased than he. She'd made that pretty clear. However, Temari's word was law as far as Kankurō was concerned – and it wasn't because she was his older sister, or his superior officer. No, it was because his sister was smarter than he was, and had the kind of mind that naturally lent to plots, secrecy, and strategy. If Temari said that waiting and gathering intelligence would be in their best interest, then Kankurō would wait and damn the dark-haired kunoichi that kept badgering him with snide remarks.

Kankurō was also pretty curious as to what Tenten had been talking about with that old monk, Tian Jhao. When he'd left Temari's office, Kankurō had been perplexed and bemused to see Tenten flushing pink in a very pretty way at something the old monk had said. He'd tried to question her about it, but she just gave him the same look she'd been giving him since they'd left the oasis – scary, instant-death eyes.

Kankurō chewed thoughtfully on a shard of wood he'd shaved off one of the puppets he was working on. It was pretty late at night, but Kankurō had a few things to turn over in his head, not the least of which was his new infatuation and obsession with that damn Konoha kunoichi. No, Temari had said a few things during their meeting that Kankurō was considering at the moment. They were things that foreign shinobi shouldn't be privy to, so that solved the mystery of why Temari hadn't invited Tenten to the mission briefing.

Temari's source had revealed that Aizo had taken up residence in the palace. Tenten's gathered intelligence had also led them to believe that Aizo would seek cover there, so Temari had put her spies at the Wind Daimyo's palace on alert. What they discovered was that Aizo might be hiding behind the hakama of the Wind Daimyo's only son – a worthless hedonist that kept himself as close to spherical as Kankurō had ever seen.

It was usually Kankurō and Temari's job to socialize and suffer when the Wind Daimyo visited Suna, or when the Kazekage was needed at the Ashikaga Palace. Gaara was so socially retarded that asking him to be politically savvy was like asking the wind not to blow. Kankurō wasn't an expert by any means – he was no _Temari_ – but he was a sight better than Gaara.

So Kankurō knew something of the Wind Daimyo's son and heir, Ashikaga Takafuyu, the Idiot of Ashikaga Palace. Well, that's what the servants called him behind his back. What Kankurō did know wasn't encouraging, and the situation was made even more touchy by the fact that Aizo was technically the current Wind Daimyo's half-brother. There was no telling how the Wind Daimyo might feel about that, or if he even knew his son was harboring that man.

Kankurō frowned, spitting out the wood shaving into a pile. He was about to go to bed when he saw a shadow flash across his window. Immediately, Kankurō hefted his scrolls onto his back, releasing Karasu and keeping the jagged-toothed puppet in the shadows. He had a strong suspicion that it was probably Tenten sneaking away to the Ashikaga Palace, but if it was an enemy he would be prepared. And if it _was_ Tenten, he could give her a little scare…

When Kankurō leapt out his window, the night air was cool against his unpainted face. He controlled Karasu with a single digit – no mean feat – and kept him to the shadows. As he had suspected, Tenten was out in the chill of night, standing at the very edge of the canyon. The sight was eerily familiar as he passed into the shadows to observe her. Tenten had her arms crossed at her middle, and her hair was blowing loose in the wind. The last time he'd seen her in a similar was she had jumped off the ledge of his balcony. This time she was dressed in a long cape, and didn't have any kunai to throw during her suicide dive.

For a while, Kankurō just looked at her. Unguarded, Tenten looked soft and young – not much like a kunoichi at all. It was only with her barrage of bladed weapons and haphazard smirk that she became a warrior. Like this, in the light of the waxing moon, Tenten looked fragile and delicate. Those were terms one did not regularly associate with the girl, and Kankurō always felt slightly surprised to find himself thinking such things. If she knew he'd ever thought it then it would be a kusarigama for him…or something equally as painful.

He was about to sneak up on her, teach her a good lesson on disobeying her Hokage – and his Kazekage – when she flipped up the hood of her cape and leapt bounding into the desert. Towards Suna.

Kankurō frowned to himself. The fastest way to the Ashikaga Palace was to follow the canyon south until it widened. The palace couldn't be missed. You could take a route that skimmed Suna's walls, but you might only do that if you need to pick up supplies. Tenten hadn't been carrying anything more than her weapons scroll and a small travel pack – not even a water skin. Without water, no one would make it through the desert, not even during the spring months.

Instead of sneaking up on her, Kankurō decided that he would just follow her. She was stealthy, but in a hurry, as she passed through into Suna's outskirts. Kankurō narrowed his eyes as she passed through the residential districts and clear across to the opposite side of the village. Finally he understood where she was going.

"The orphanage," he murmured to himself, drawing into the darkness of a shadow as Tenten glanced around.

She stood in the main entrance of the orphanage, lowering her hood and casting her eyes across the empty streets. The door of the orphanage opened, and a young monk carrying a candle ushered her within. Kankurō sighed, glancing up the building. He was familiar enough with the layout to infiltrate the orphanage, but he knew Tian Jhao was an excellent shinobi. The chances of him doing it without being caught were slim at best.

Sighing, Kankurō recalled Karasu to his scroll. He would infiltrate through the roof. Though Kankurō was a long-distance fighter that relied on remaining hidden and operating puppets, he was not as strong in urban stealth. He moved much better in forested and rural environments, where he could rely on obstacles and shadows to evade enemies in.

With the aid of chakra, Kankurō scaled the building, silencing his approach with a jutsu Temari had taught him. She loved to use it on Gaara – she said it kept him on his toes. Thinking of this, Kankurō smirked and stationed himself in the attic space above Tian Jhao's office. Without much light, Kankurō's eyes strained to find a steady perch. When he finally did, he frowned – there were signs that he was not the first person to use this position.

He was about to relocate when he heard the sliding doors whisper as they opened. He couldn't move now. Instead, Kankurō regulated his breathing and listened to the shuffling of feet. Tenten murmured something to Tian Jhao, and after a moment of silence Kankurō assumed they were both sitting and looking at each other.

"Don't be so shy, Tenten-san," Tian Jhao said, sounding amused.

Tenten grunted disagreeably. "Last time you spoke with one of my teammates you gave him misleading information that cost us valuable time and could have cost lives – mine included." She paused, and in a low, sarcastic tone said, "Perhaps you see why I'm hesitant about this little meet and greet."

Kankurō wanted to chuckle, and he clenched his teeth as Tian Jhao barked out a sharp laugh. "Well, thankfully young Nara was able to put it all together." He paused. "You're an interesting kunoichi, Tenten-san," he said in a low voice. "I'm curious as to how you managed to obtain such a rare blade."

"Well, I didn't _steal_ it if that's what you mean," she grumbled darkly. Kankurō held a hand over his mouth.

Tian Jhao chuckled again. "I believe that – it would have been impossible to steal _Lioness of the East_ from my master." The old monk cleared his throat. "Specifically, I was curious if you knew anything about my master's fate."

Tenten was silent, and Kankurō heard a soft rapping noise as Tenten drummed her fingers softly. "Many of my family's records were either damaged or lost during the Second Great Shinobi War. So, unfortunately, most of what I know about Katsumata Hirato is nothing more than family legend. I'm not sure how much help I can be."

"Goto and I searched for him for many years," Tian Jhao revealed. "Popular rumor was that he died when we went to war with Kirigakure. However, we never located a body, and he was a respected enough man for comrades or enemies to give him a grave. I would appreciate any clues you have that might shed light on his fate. He was a hero to many people, his students especially."

Kankurō waited for Tenten to speak, and when she did her voice was curiously gentle. "What I know suggests that also," she replied. After a brief silence, Tenten continued. "What do you know of this history of the peninsula at the tip of Hi no Kuni?"

"Do you mind if I smoke?" Tian Jhao asked in return. Tenten must have nodded, for Kankurō heard a match strike. "I know it used to be very wealthy country called Sekitan no Kuni, and thrived on exporting coal and fish."

Tenten coughed slightly. "That's true. It was a land with no hidden village, and relied on hired mercenaries to protect its interests. About seventy years ago, Kirigakure signed a contract with Sekitan no Kuni's feudal lord to be the primary mercenary force in the country. The Mizukage took advantage of that contract and gradually forced out foreign mercenaries and took over Sekitan no Kuni."

"A quiet coup d'état," Tian Jhao murmured.

Tenten snorted. "Not nearly quiet enough. A group of ninja – my very own ancestors – sent a plea to the Hokage to assist Sekitan no Kuni in expelling the Kiri-mercenaries. The feudal lord was offering money, trading rights, even land, in exchange, so of course the Fire Daimyo instructed the Hokage to accept. He did, but then…"

"It became the same situation, only now the Fire Daimyo was holding the reigns," Tian Jhao inferred.

"Right in one," Tenten replied snidely. However, Kankurō didn't detect nearly as much bite as there was before. "Then the Mizuage's forces arrived to liberate Sekitan no Kuni from the Hokage, and then the Hokage's forces arrived to re-liberate from the Mizuage. So now Sekitan no Kuni no longer produces coal, most of the residents are poverty-stricken, and the Water Daimyo left a gangster to suppress any more uprisings. My father and I escaped to Konoha before the boarders were closed, but not many were so lucky."

Kankurō heard Tenten inhale and exhale loudly. "So, knowing that, you must understand how desperate Sekitan no Kuni was for a hero sixty years ago."

"I see," Tian Jhao said after a moment. "It sounds like a situation my master would have been very passionate about."

"My father's father was one of the ninja that was sent to Konoha to plea for aid from the Hokage," Tenten continued. "It took three years of bargaining for the Fire Daimyo to finally agree to aid Sekitan no Kuni, and during that time Kirigakure was also engaged in a series of skirmishes with Sunagakure."

"That was the first war I had ever experienced," Tian Jhao said, his voice sounding rather frail and distant to Kankurou's ears. "I grew up in a time of relative peace, planning only to live in a nindera my whole life. So when my master did not return from Kirigakure, it was my first taste of the bitterness of war."

Tenten hummed softly. "I heard that Sekitan no Kuni was very peaceful before it began producing so much coal. In fact, before my ancestors were ninjas they had a circus that was renowned around the world. The bitterness of war changed all that."

Kankurō paused, imagining Tenten in a revealing spandex suit – perhaps she was fitted to be an acrobat? But then, shaking that image from his head, he thought that she was better suited to be one of those knife throwers. Well, she could wear something revealing and just be the dangerous beauty of the circus. Kankurō tried to keep his grin from spreading too wide – he would start chuckling if he couldn't control himself.

"But, to the village my ancestors lived in, Katsumata Hirato was like a shining beacon of hope." She sighed, and continued. "The village was being used as a camp for prisoners of war – the ones the Mizuage feared Suna's ninja would attempt to rescue. Hirato had been sent on just one such mission, but the mission failed and he escaped into the mountains." She paused with another hum. "Here's where fact and fantasy mix a little. Perhaps my grandmother or one of her sisters – all had been circus performers turned ninja and considered great beauties – found the injured Hirato and nursed him back to health. There may or may not have been some kind of love affair, but Hirato vowed not to leave my ancestors' village until his mission was complete, and he had liberated Sekitan no Kuni."

Tian Jhao chuckled in a low tone. "That sounds like my master. He would have loved the idea of circus performers changing into ninja to protect their country. He also would have loved the idea of liberating an entire nation…"

"He became a local hero," Tenten replied. "He fought for many years, but then died of injuries. In fact, he taught my father's father in the Katsumata family tradition of swordsmanship, which has been passed on to my father and his brothers, and now to me."

There was silence in the room for a long time, and Kankurō waited anxiously for anything else. He was learning quite a bit about Tenten, things that her teammates probably didn't even know.

Finally, Tian Jhao spoke again. "At first, I thought that the Kazekage was mad to allow you to reclaim _Lioness of the East_ – especially since I thought it had been lost forever in the war with Kirigakure. It was an unfair judgment, and I apologize." Tian Jhao didn't say anything for a moment. "You would never have known this, but I see a lot of my master in you. Not only do you resemble him to such a level that I am forced to think some kind of affair did occur, but the sharpness of your tongue and the pride you have in your weapons. Hirato-sensei was a master of all weapons, and if he had not taught your family, then the Katsumata tradition of swordsmanship would have died with me. I am glad to see this is not the case."

"Well, I'm not sure whether to be insulted that you've accused my ancestors of infidelity, or flattered that you think we were worthy of Katsumata Hirato's heritage," Tenten said in an amused tone. However, Kankurō heard just the slightest bit of emotion there that led him to believe that she was flattered.

"Take it how you will, but just by saying that you make me think he may have been your grandfather," Tian Jhao said in an equally amused tone. "You have the same eyes, and he was unnaturally sharp with his tongue."

Tenten snickered softly. "I'll be sure to ask my father about it. I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that the elderly in Suna are slandering our family name."

Tian Jhao laughed sharply and loudly, coughing on smoke. Kankurō could smell that the room was probably thick with it. "Well, it will just be our little secret," he murmured. Then Tian Jhao sighed rather loudly. "Before my master left to go to Kirigakure he gave something to me to congratulate me on my promotion to jōnin, and for mastering the Katsumata style of swordsmanship. I'd rather like you to have it."

Something clinked softly on a wooden surface, and Kankurō actually blanched with the long line of expletives that came tumbling from Tenten's mouth. Where on earth had she learned to swear like that? …And would she teach him?

Tian Jhao was laughing raucously – so much so that Kankurō was surprised none of his nosy little monk assistants were barging in the door. "You Konoha shinobi are so full of surprises!" he chuckled. "And, besides, how would you possibly be able to reclaim _Lioness of the East_ without her sister?"

* * *

Kaze no Kuni – Land of Wind

Shinobi – ninja

Ara-to – a traditional Japanese whetstone called the rough stone

Naka-to – a traditional Japanese whetstone called the medium stone

Shiage-to – a traditional Japanese whetstone called the finishing stone

Nagura – a traditional Japanese whetstone used to make slurry for the shiage-to

Ojiisan – grandfather

Hitai-ite – the forehead protector that is worn by every ninja

Sekitan no Kuni – Land of Coal

Mizuage – Water Shadow

Hokage – Fire Shadow

* * *

**Author's Note (Part 2): **So, obviously this is the interlude between _The Divine Winds of Suna _and_ The Hell Fire of Konoha. _It will be three or four chapters long, and focus solely on Kankurou and Tenten as they search for Aizo. I wouldn't say that you HAVE to read it to understand the sequel, but there might be hints about the identity of a traitor...or something cool like that.

Anyways, no one hate me, but I'll finish the interlude before I post the sequel, _The Hell Fire of Konoha_.

Lovebites,

Eros ex Nihilo


	2. Part Two

**Interlude:**

**DANCE ON STRINGS**

**Part Two**

Tenten felt her hand shake slightly as she ran her fingers down the scabbard of _Lioness of the West_. The weight and chill of the metal felt so right under her hand, and the blade seemed to sing as she released it into the night air. It took all her control not to try and pick a fight with someone right then and there. She closed her eyes and thought of the jian blade in its scabbard.

Over the last few days, she and Kankurō had waited for the intel from the Wind Daimyo's Palace at the house of the Sand Siblings. She thought she had avoided Kankurō quite well – though she was beginning to think it was more for her comfort than for his. Actually, she was really beginning to think it was her own cowardice…

She had retreated to examining _Lioness of the West_, and training feverishly for hours on end. Though there was really no comparison, Tenten couldn't help but think about the differences between the two sister-swords. When Tenten had first held _Lioness of the East_, she had known deep in her heart that it was superior to any other blade that could ever have been created. It didn't have any special abilities like the swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, but the blade just seemed to naturally extend from her arm. Wielding _Lioness of the East_ was a graceful dance, wushu at its spiritual core.

However, _Lioness of the West_ was made from chakra-imbued metal. If she had any particular talent for nature-release then _Lioness_ would have been able to handle it. However, as she was unskilled in nature-release jutsu, Tenten simply have to learn how to use the chakra-blade in its secondary capacity. Chakra-imbued weapons could be injected with their owner's chakra, essentially becoming an extension of their own body. The advantage this allowed for in battle was immeasurable – one of the many reasons Tenten preferred to battle with chakra-imbued weapons. These weapons would cut cleaner, move faster, defy gravity and momentum, and could even – with enough use – begin to absorb the characteristics of their owner. When a blade began to do this, it began to gain special abilities, much like those of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

_Lioness of the West_ was clearly superior to her sister, so comparing the two of them was useless. _Lioness of the West _magnified whatever defined_ Lioness of the East_ as a great sword. Its blade was more graceful, and the way the blade harmonized with her own chakra was electrifying. There was no doubt this was a special sword, something constructed once in a thousand years. It separated itself from all other bladed weapons, and was fit more for gods than for a common kunoichi like herself.

Tenten knew that it would probably take a decade to master _Lioness of the West_, to learn all its secrets and be able to bring it and her to their own full potential. It had taken many years for her to wield _Lioness of the East_ to full potential, and its sister-sword had even more latent power to be unlocked.

* * *

Energy thrummed through Tenten's body as she followed Kankurō south as he made his way along the canyon's edge. They were moving swiftly away from the Sand Sibling house, and the early morning light was casting a pinkish hue across the skyline. Stars were still barely visible, and the moon was sinking behind them. At this pace they would make it to Ashikaga Palace, the seat of the Wind Daimyo and possible location of Aizo Osamaru, just before sundown. Motivated by a need for vengeance, Tenten felt adrenaline pumping through her body. She knew that she would have to control herself, though, and pace their journey evenly, or she would be dead tired by noon.

Kankurō, for his part, was making sure their rate of travel stayed even and manageable. He didn't seem interested in talking…actually, he was being quite distant. Not that Tenten _minded_ really! Honestly, it was relief that Kankurō wasn't incessantly talking and bothering her and basically being a humongous pig. The only thing Tenten liked about him was that he could fight with her. Someday they would have a huge battle, and she would enjoy stabbing him. This battle would have to happen after their mission, of course.

Smirking at the thought, Tenten only noticed at the very last second that Kankurō had stopped. She had to roll to the balls of her feet to avoid crashing into his back. Kankurō, however, wasn't paying much attention to her. In fact, he was eyeing the skyline, a frown creasing his forehead. Tenten studied his face, so rarely serious, and then followed his gaze east to the rising sun. She put a hand up to shade her eyes, squinting but not really seeing anything worth stopping for.

"Nomads," Kankurō whispered under his breath, not taking his eyes off the horizon.

Tenten squinted her eyes again. At first she had thought that it was some kind of mirage, a long line of water that twinkled in the distance. She had seen it before in the desert, and trained her eyes to pay it no mind. But somehow this twinkling mirage was different, and only a very trained eye would know why. Kankurō was raised as a desert shinobi, and could apparently tell the subtle differences that Tenten's eyes were unable to distinguish.

"We have a choice," Kankurō said after several moments. He turned to Tenten, looking down on her. "Most times I would say to avoid them, but maybe we could learn something from them."

Tenten narrowed her eyes. More delays. "Who are they?" she asked suspiciously.

Kankurō looked as if he was trying to find a good way to answer. "They call themselves different names. Lung Shen Jen. Jhou Chan Wei. Bao Lin Mong. We don't know much about Kaze no Kuni's early history, but we know that the Wind Daimyo conquered the desert tribes, bringing them under his control…for the most part…" He looked away into the distance.

"This was hundreds years ago when Suzushigai was the capitol," Kankurō continued after a moment. "When the hidden village was created, the daimyo charged each nomad group to give up three of its best warriors – this was back when the nomad groups numbered in the hundreds. They became village people, and their nomadic brethren hated them. Today the nomads are few, the largest tribes only about ten warriors and twenty odd civilians, but they often pass down powerful hiden jutsu."

Tenten paused. "They don't sound friendly."

"They're not really," Kankurō replied darkly. "At best they see village shinobi as beneath them, and at worst a threat to be eliminated. The previous Wind Daimyo didn't do us any favors by commanding that the nomadic groups quit warring against each other. He set up Suna's shinobi as peacekeepers and stationed us at all known oases, basically making us the enemy of all nomads." Kankurō sighed, looking out to the rising sun. "Still, they see much in the desert, and they may know something of Kurogō."

"Gathering information on that psychopath is also part of the mission," Tenten agreed. As much as it pained her to delay what she wanted most – her sword back – she knew in her heart that Kurogō was a much more dangerous enemy than Aizo. Besides, she had _Lioness of the West_, and it was almost as if the sword could sense its sister's presence. They had been headed in the right direction. Aizo would not escape her for long.

Tenten looked over at her teammate. Kankurō pressed the back of his hand against his nose and mouth, narrowing his eyes harshly. Tenten had only seen him do this when he was extremely worried or stressed – like he was trying to contain himself from exploding. Finally, he nodded, unsealing Karasu from his massive scroll. Tenten was one of the few other ninja that used a sealing scroll this large, and she also had advanced skill in fūinjutsu that allowed her to seal and unseal many different objects at the same time. It was odd that two shinobi would use such a rare form of combat – combat that relied on sealing.

"I'll need you to carry this," Kankurō said, handing her his massive scroll. "Karasu and I are going to be switching, and it would be suspicious to carry the mummy and a large-sized sealing scroll."

Tenten agreed. "Oh, and it would be so much _less _suspicious for_ one _person to carry_ two_ large-sized sealing scrolls."

Kankurō raised an eyebrow, smirking at her as he looked down. "Around the nomads, try not to talk. They don't like uppity women."

"Does that mean you're going to take your make-up off?" Tenten asked, trying to make her voice sound innocent and also to hold back a snicker.

Kankurō growled. "Woman, I won't say it again – it's _face paint_!"

Karasu was an ugly thing, all jagged teeth and ragged clothes. Tenten watched with interest as Kankurō formed a clone of himself by using sand and Karasu's wooden frame. By use of puppetry and ventriloquism, Kankurō could make his clone do or say anything he needed as he stayed in his mummy backpack. Tenten found the effect pretty creepy.

Nevertheless, Tenten took the second scroll, clipping it to the straps of her own scroll's holder. Kankurō was now fully concealed within his mummy, and 'Karasu' was flexing his fingers, grinning at her as he fully rotated his head 360 degrees. Personally, Tenten wondered how he could see at all, but assumed that Kankurō knew his jutsu well enough to have figured that out. So she sneered at 'Karasu' and hefted the double scrolls onto the small of her back.

"Let's go," Kakurō said, throwing his voice to Karasu.

Tenten narrowed her eyes.

They loped across the dunes, but didn't need to go very far before Kankurō put Karasu's hand up, halting their approach. Tenten shifted her desert-style cape so that it covered her distinctive hair buns, clipping it at her ear so that it also covered her mouth. She typically found this style to be restrictive, and she didn't like having her mouth covered, but she was also very cautious about these desert dwelling shinobi. Kankurō had not sounded very confident when he described them as 'mostly peaceful,' and the cape would conceal more weapons at the ready than her regular clothes would.

The nomads looked to be about thirty in number. From a distance, Tenten's sharp eyes caught at least fifteen capable bodies, several children, and a few elderly. Some rode upon camels, and they had a large herd of sheep with them, bleating in the back with the children. They seemed to just be standing around, as if they knew Kankurō and Tenten would decide to meet them. A hawk cried in the distance, then swept down to land on the shoulder of an older man.

The man with the hawk stood with three others flanking him. To his left was an elderly gentleman, mostly covered in think swaths of cloth with only his eyes exposed. Even his hands were wrapped tightly in bandages, making him look like a leper. There were two younger men at the leader's right and they looked to be about five years older than Kankurō. Both had short beards and left their faces exposed. They were handsome, but stoic. None of the tribe revealed any emotion – not even the children looked curious.

The man with the hawk showed Kankurō and Tenten his hands, and one of the men at his right rolled out a woven mat. Apparently, this was some kind of invitation, for Kankurō moved to the edge of the mat and bowed. The hawk, unsettled by the motion of the returned bow, called out and flew to the shoulder of a young boy near the goats.

"I am Lung Wei," the man said, pulling down his mouth covering before he spoke. "I am the tribal chief of the Lung Shen Jen."

He had a dark beard, flecked with gray, and his eyes were as dark as the night sky. Tenten thought he was probably very handsome in his youth, and saw his features repeated in the two younger men to his right. Could they be his sons? He did not introduce them, but turned to his left. "This is the Lung Shen Jen tribal elder, Mong Tsu. May I ask your names, village shinobi?"

Tenten noticed that while they spoke the common tongue very well, they spoke it with a very peculiar accent. Kankurō nodded, pulling down his facial covering. "I am Kankurō of the Suna Puppet Brigade, brother of Godaime Kazekage Gaara." He gestured to Tenten, who stood at his shoulder and was quietly observing the tribe's reaction to these words. There had been a murmur of excitement, and the stoic mask of the collective had broken momentarily. One look from an older woman silenced it, but it was still noticeable. "This is Tenten of Konoha, weapons master."

Tenten wasn't too sure about the etiquette of this situation. The tribal elder, Mong Tsu, had not bowed when he was introduced, but Tenten thought maybe his status was so high that he did not need to. When Kankurō introduced her, Tenten decided she would bow, but she did not bow very shallowly, or drop her eyes to the ground. She still wanted to be able to see the mysterious desert nomads for the time being.

Lung Wei did not introduce the two younger men, but instead motioned to the mat and said, "Let us sit and discuss things, Kankurō-san."

Kankurō sat, and Lung Wei and Mong Tsu followed in suit. However, the two younger men did not sit, so Tenten felt as though she should also stand at ready. This seemed to be the way of things, and she did not feel that breaking their traditions would put her and Kankurō in good standing. Also, she did not want to be more vulnerable than she had to in front of these strangers.

"Drink our water," Lung Wei said. Tenten wasn't sure if he was being commanding, or if he was just used to people doing what he said. Or it could even be a cultural miscommunication, and he was inviting Kankurō to drink water with him. Whatever it was, Lung Wei's tone set Tenten's teeth on edge.

Kankurō, for his part, seemed unaffected. Perhaps he was used to dealing with the desert people, or perhaps he was much too laid back to be offended by something like that. Tenten was glad that he was leading this part of their mission. She watched as Kankurō accepted a large water skin, drinking from its mouth in a way that impressed her. She didn't know Karasu could drink…where did the water go?

She kept these thoughts to herself, quietly observing the two young men that stood opposite her. One made eye contact, tilting his head to the side softly. Tenten's eyes revealed nothing, however, and after a faint smile the man focused on Kankurō.

Lung Wei drank from the water skin, then handed it to Mong Tsu, who also drank. When this was settled, Lung Wei put his hands on his knees and said, "I extend my tribe's hospitality. And you, Kankurō-san?"

"I extend my knowledge, Chief Lung Wei," Kankurō replied evenly, his hands also on his knees.

With a nod, Lung Wei gave Kankurō a wan smile. "You have dealt with my cousins, Kankurō-san. You know our customs well."

Kankurō nodded. "Some I know, others I will learn."

Tenten noticed that Lung Wei seemed to like this answer. "Perhaps," he said evenly. "What knowledge would you share with us, Kankurō-san?"

For a few moments, Tenten watched as Kankurō said nothing, as if he was trying to collect his thoughts. How much should he tell them? How much was top secret? Tenten did not envy Kankurō's position, and knew he was probably wishing that Temari was here. Or Shikamaru.

Tenten sighed, glancing around at the desert nomads in the background. The children were tending to the herd of goats, and others were sitting in small groups on woven mats. Apparently, they seemed to think they would be here for a while. There were about ten people that appeared to be warriors, but they had also apparently lost interest in Tenten and Kankurō. Chief Lung Wei's lieutenants were still flanking his right hand side, so they probably assumed that things were safe enough.

"You may have heard of the group that calls themselves the Kamikaze," Kankurō began slowly.

Lung Wei nodded after a moment. "We have."

Kankurō paused again. "Suna and Konoha have been working jointly concerning this threat, culminating in a battle a little over a week ago. The main culprits escaped, but we have most of their followers in our custody."

"A lizard will shed its tail to distract its enemies. It is little effort to grow a new one," the heavily wrapped Mong Tsu said in a sing-song kind of voice.

Lung Wei nodded, as if this was a well-known wisdom. "You have pursued them into the desert. If they are from the village, perhaps they are already dead. The desert is not kind to those who are soft and pale."

Tenten raised an eyebrow at this. 'Soft' and 'pale' were not words one would use to describe Aizo, as he had definitely been a shinobi at some point. From what Tenten remembered, Aizo had very powerful hands, burnt and leathery from years in the forge. Perhaps, though, in his old age he had become soft. She still did not believe the desert would kill him, even if he was a pathetic worm.

Kankurō seemed to also be thinking the same thing, for he shook his head. "The desert does not tolerate weakness. This is known, Chief Lung Wei." He paused. "However, like the lizard, these men would slide on their bellies and survive in unsightly ways to preserve themselves."

A tick of a smile touched Lung Wei's lips, and the man beside him nodded his head. Tenten tried not to admire Kankurō's ability to communicate with these strange people. He had more experience in this than he had originally revealed to her. It wasn't that they didn't speak the same language, but the cultural gap was too wide for many people to cross. Tenten couldn't claim to understand how these people thought, and was glad that Kankurō had experience with them.

"Well said, Kankurō-san," Lung Wei murmured softly, toying with his beard. "Tell us more of the enemies you seek."

Kankurō glanced at Tenten. For a moment she didn't understand, but then she realized he probably wanted the Bingo Book. Karasu didn't carry a Bingo Book, and it would be slightly suspicious if Karasu reached into the mummy on his back. In an instant, Tenten had fished out the Bingo Book and handed it down to 'Kankurō's' outstretched hand.

"Our target, Aizo Osamaru, is the Guildmaster of Suna's Ironworker's Guild, a shinobi in his youth, and bastard son of the previous Wind Daimyo's father. He was willingly manipulated by our secondary target, a man named Kurogō, in hopes to subdue Suna. Kurogō is believed to be the exiled son of the Earth Daimyo, but we know little of his motivation. We believe it was Kurogō's plan to use a weapon of massive destructive power to usurp the Wind Daimyo, leveraging Aizo into the Wind Daimyo's place as the pawn of Tsuchi no Kuni." Kankurō pushed forward the Bingo Book, allowing Lung Wei to examine it before handing it off to one of his lieutenants.

For a long while, Lung Wei said nothing, his eyes lowered in thought. Finally he looked back up at Kankurō. "The people of the desert have a longstanding loyalty to the Wind Daimyo, but also a longstanding enmity with the villagers of Suna, our ignorant cousins. There are some who might rejoice at Suna's destruction, but none that would at a pawn of the Earth Daimyo sitting on the Wind Daimyo's throne. What are you proposing, Kankurō-san?"

After several moments of silence, Kankurō spoke. "As the brother of the Kazekage and a member of Suna's council, I am authorized to make contracts with the people of the desert. However, to move independently from my brother and sister is not the way of the Sand Siblings, so today I only propose a sharing of information."

"The skinniest wolf is the one that hunts alone," Mong Tsu murmured from his confining clothing.

Lung Wei nodded at this, too. "This is known," he agreed. "You are wise, Kankurō-san. I will ask you to speak with your siblings on behalf of my tribe, and seek us out when you and your siblings move and think as one. Until then, I will share with you what I know of the man Kurogō."

Tenten narrowed her eyes softly. If she had heard correctly, Lung Wei might have been proposing some kind of alliance. Despite the apparent animosity that both Lung Wei and Kankurō had spoken of, it appeared as though both village shinobi and desert nomads were willing to put aside these differences out of loyalty to the Wind Daimyo. Perhaps the desert nomads wouldn't cry if they lost their village-dwelling cousins, but Lung Wei seemed to understand that joining together would be beneficial to protect the Wind Daimyo.

"On behalf of my brother, the Kazekage, I thank you and your tribe, Chief Lung Wei. I would be honored to speak with my brother and return to your gracious hospitality once again." Kankurō bowed his head, but Tenten could tell he was rather proud of the prettiness of his speech. For some reason this bothered Tenten, and she resolved to mock him for it later.

Lung Wei bowed in return. "It was about fifteen moons ago that a man named Kurogō first set foot in our desert. We did not know his background, not why he came, but he accepted hospitality from many of my cousins."

As Lung Wei paused, Kankurō asked, "Do you know what he offered in return, Chief Lung Wei?"

Lung Wei smiled wanly. "Everything and nothing," he replied. "He promised freely, and many young people were swayed. However, the elders are wise, and can recognize empty promises."

Kankurō chuckled. "The lizard was growing his tail."

"How interesting that he was able to grow it within the village, and not in the desert," Lung Wei mused, also chuckling. "I do not think he was able to convince any of my cousins become his tail, but he was later seen with many men, making camp at the Forbidden Oasis."

The Forbidden Oasis was probably the one Tenten had been held captive at. However it had received its name, Tenten knew that she at least never wanted to return. She noticed that at the mention of the Forbidden Oasis many of the nomads made a sign with their hands, as if to ward off some evil. Perhaps the place was cursed? It had been a beautiful oasis, but no shinobi should ever make the mistake in thinking beauty always meant goodness.

"Forbidden Oasis?" Kankurō asked.

Lung Wei nodded. "It is where we burry our dead. It is exceptionally lovely, and tempts people to stay, but our ancestors curse the living, and those who remain there meet tragic ends."

Tenten wasn't too scared of ghost stories, but this one had already been proven true before she knew of it. Many men died at the oasis, men who had made it their encampment. Tenten's stay there had been far from leisurely, and it was probable that those tunnels were where the tombs of the desert nomads were located. The thought made her shiver, for it was awfully offensive to trample over the dead.

"Perhaps I have been helpful, and perhaps not, but I will tell you one more thing, Kankurō-san," Lung Wei said, letting his statement about the oasis sink in. "My cousins said that this man called Kurogō was very charming, and could easily sway the hearts of young people. Older people have hearts that are carefully guarded, but the young have hearts that can still fall in love, and they are vulnerable to promises of glory. This man, therefore, is very dangerous, even to shinobi."

Kankurō nodded solemnly. "Your words ring of the truth, Chief Lung Wei. I will make them heard by my brother. Until then you have my thanks. You and your tribe have been hospitable to us."

They bowed to each other again, but Tenten could already see the meeting was over. The other nomads had begun packing away their woven mats, and the elderly were being loaded onto the backs of camels. Some children were counting the goats, and someone rolled up the mat after Kankurō, Lung Wei, and Mong Tsu stepped away from it. Kankurō moved back so that he was shoulder to shoulder with Tenten, and she looked up at him briefly. Karasu didn't express emotion unless Kankurō willed the puppet to. This made it very easy for Kankurō to control his facial reactions, so Tenten was unable to read his thoughts. He looked back towards the canyon, and Tenten nodded.

However, before they could move more than a meter away, Lung Wei called out. "One more thing, Kankurō-san!"

Both Kankurō and Tenten halted. Tenten's first thought was that Lung Wei had figured out Kankurō was hiding in the mummy, and he was offended. Tenten didn't relax when she learned the real reason. "When you return, bring your partner, Tenten of Konoha. I much desire to see Hiragi steel once more in my lifetime."

Saying nothing, Kankurō bowed, and Tenten mimicked him. When they began moving towards the canyon, Tenten noticed that 'Kankurō' was watching her closely, and she didn't particularly care for Karasu's blank face.

* * *

Kankurō crossed his arms, looking across the bridge at the massive Ashikaga Palace. It was probably the most beautiful work of art and architecture in the world, if you cared about that kind of thing. The bridge itself was massive, about fifty meters wide and decorated with wooden carvings of dragons and past daimyo. Royal stuff basically. It spanned the massive canyon, connecting the majestic Ashikaga Palace to the booming market of the village he and Tenten had just walked through.

One of the things that made Ashikaga Palace (and also the opposing village) so impressive was that the bottom half of it was carved out of the canyon walls, while the upper half towered several stories over ground level. When Kankurō had first seen it as a boy, his instinct was to think it was held up by magic…or giants. Even though this was totally ridiculous, Kankurō still thought there might be some architectural jutsu at work.

He glanced back at Tenten, who was eating several sticks of sand dango. She'd looked at the palace, then looked at the village, then back to the palace, and said, "That's pretty cool. Do you think the village has any dango? I could kill for some dango."

He'd bit back a snide comment. She always had a way with annoying him, and her vague, uninterested comments about dango were pretty much all it took to get him agitated today. He knew why he was so easily annoyed, too. Frustration. _Sexual_ frustration. Kankurō hadn't gone this long hung up on a single woman since he discovered tits. That is to say, usually he slept with and then discarded the women who interested him. The women who interested him were typically easy, air-headed, and only interested in him because he was Gaara's brother. That was fine, since Gaara didn't look twice at a woman unless she was Hyūga Hinata…but who knew about that anymore…

Tenten – as even Kankurō's sister had made sure to mention several times – was a step up from his typical girl. Tenten was a kunoichi, for one, and for another she was a lot classier. You'd never notice from the way she scarffed down dango, but at least she didn't spread her legs for anyone with status. And she was dangerous, and adventurous, not afraid to get dirty, she loved to fight and she was good at it, and she had a fetish for sharp things.

But aside from all that…Tenten was a good person. She cared about her teammates and her friends. The damage she sustained at the hands of Kurogō did not escape Kankurō's notice, and Tenten had suffered for Hinata. Kankurō didn't think he would do that for anyone but his siblings. Tenten had a good heart, and she was funny, and she didn't back down, and she wasn't a coward. Maybe she was outspoken and maybe she was a bit blunt, but there was something to be said about someone who was brave enough to speak his or her mind.

Kankurō turned briefly to look at Tenten. She was standing at the edge of the canyon, picking her teeth with the used dango stick, looking down at the river rush by. This time of year the river was higher than usual, and it moved swiftly through the sides of the canyon. The depth of the water would help _and_ hinder their route into the palace. "There are fifteen separate ways to get to the other side of this canyon, and those are only the ones Suna's ninja have been able to discover," Kankurō told her, still a bit peevish.

Tenten nodded, still examining the canyon with curious eyes. "Mm," she replied, taking the stick and twisting it with her teeth, chewing it thoughtfully. "I take it we won't be using the bridge."

Kankurō shook his head. "There's an underwater entrance. See that triangular rock to the right of the bridge, near the bottom?"

Tenten nodded her head again. "Sure."

"We dive in there, swim into a chamber and climb up about two kilometers of stairs."

Tenten swayed back and forth over the edge of the cliff, looking down with absent curiosity. Kankurō watched her for a few moments. She had been silent since leaving Suna. To be fair, so had he. Kankurō was unused to being so ineffective in regards to the girls he set his eyes on. He was unsure how to talk to her, how to flirt with her…he was unsure of _himself_, which was new.

The dango stick twisting in her mouth stopped, and she took it out. "How far down do you think that is?" she murmured, tossing the stick down into the river.

Kankurō saw the wind take it away. He could see the expression she was making and her excitement made Kankurō frown. He knew Tenten's penchant for diving off cliffs, and he subconsciously moved closer to her by half a step. "At its deepest point this canyon is almost three kilometers." He rolled his head back. "Here, though…it's probably just under two."

A slow grin spread over Tenten's lips. "That so…"

A gust of wind came up the canyon's walls, and it was so strong that Kankurō could see it push Tenten back, almost lifting her off the ground. Her eyes were dark and serious when she looked up at him. "I'll race you."

"What?" Kankurō choked out.

"Whoever wins gets the first shot at Aizo," Tenten baited him, pulling off her cape and folding it into her pack. "Scared I'll win?"

Kankurō growled. What was she thinking? This wasn't a game, but he knew by the expression in her eyes that she didn't think so either. It was an expression that Kankurō occasionally saw on his sister's face, a determined, merciless, bloodthirsty glint in her eye – the look of someone going into battle. Kankurō was not the kind of person who backed away from a challenge, either. Especially not from Tenten.

Kankurō smirked. "Nah, that's not so interesting. Let's bet something else."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Fine. What do you have in mind, doll-boy?"

Sneering, Kankurō narrowed his eyes at her. "The loser has to do whatever the winner says for a day."

"The loser has to do whatever the winner says…" Tenten murmured. "You must really wanna be target practice…"

Kankurō snickered. He had somewhat of an advantage, and Tenten didn't know it. This was Kankurō's third time using this particular entrance, and he knew exactly where it was. "Fine then," he said evenly. "On three."

Tenten nodded, not moving from the cliff's side. Kankurō began drawing chakra to his feet. This was a simple enough thing for a ninja of his capability. Walking on water or scaling cliffs with the aid of chakra were things a shinobi should learn as a genin or younger, but it was a bit more difficult to run down a cliff side, fighting gravity's pull on your upper body, at a full sprint. Still, Kankurō knew the best route down this cliff, so he wasn't terribly worried about his chances. He looked over at Tenten and held up a fist. "One…" he counted, raising a finger. "Two… Three…"

He didn't look back, he just ran. Tenten was faster than he was, but Kankurō had the experience of having scaled this cliff more than once. Two kilometers at a dead sprint would be plenty tiring for him – he didn't have Temari's speed and stamina, but he did have the training experience of having to keep up with her and Gaara. No mean feat.

It was probably about five hundred meters down the cliff side that Kankurō realized that he could even hear Tenten's footsteps. She should have been pretty close on his heels. Curious, he snuck a look over his shoulder. It slowed him, but that didn't really matter. Tenten was still standing at the top of the canyon, her face serious and solemn with her arms spread out.

"Shit," Kankurō said under his breath.

With that, Tenten leapt out like the most graceful of acrobats, head first to the raging water below. Perhaps, for anyone else, Kankurō would have predicted death. At the Ashikaga Palace, the canyon measured just short of two kilometers. At this height, diving into the river would be like hitting pavement. Kankurō knew all this, and that there were rocks in the river, and that Tenten was actually slender, and that a thousand things could go wrong. Still, he smiled as she zoomed by him, soaring like a heron as his clothes billowed in the wake of her passing.

Kankurō shook his head, taking his time as he continued down the side of the canyon. Tenten had broken through the water with clean grace, surfaced, and dove under again. He wasn't sure how she'd done it, but she'd beaten him.

* * *

When he surfaced in the underwater cavern, Tenten was wringing out her hair, a serious look on her face. Kankurō said nothing, but Tenten wasn't gloating either – which he found odd. There was something seriously off about her lately, but as far as he could tell it hadn't affected her skills as a shinobi. Kankurō stripped off his shirt and began to wring it out. Though his back was turned to her, Kankurō felt her eyes burning holes in his back. He turned to find her glaring at him.

"Like what you see?" he asked, smirking as he stripped off his pants.

It was curious the way her eyes quivered, almost as if she wanted to look at him. Her cheeks were a bit red, but she bore her teeth at him in a hiss. "Did you let me win?"

Kankurō raised an eyebrow. That was what she was concerned about? She made a soft growling sound in her throat and undoing the toggles on the front of her top.

"So you _wanted_ me to win?" he asked in return, holding back a snicker as her eyes met his, wide and furious.

"In your dreams, pervert!" she hissed back, whipping off her top to wring it out. Beneath it she wore a thin linen shift with a wrap that clearly extended from her legs to her chest. There were dots of pink, like old injuries that had been opened in the water. Could that pink-haired iryou-nin from Konoha not have fully healed Tenten? But she had been training almost non-stop since Tian Jhao had given her _Lioness of the West_…

His eyes glanced over the gentle curves of her torso. She wasn't curvy, but trim with little fat on her body. He could clearly see the outline of her bust as the water caused her undershirt to cling – she was more impressive than he'd originally thought. As if she could sense his thoughts, Tenten narrowed her eyes at him. "Seriously! How did you ever get a girlfriend? I'm a _shinobi_ – just the same as you! I am _not _a potential_ rut_!"

Ignoring all this, Kankurō took a few steps towards her, looking down on her increasingly pink stomach wrap. Tenten tried to back away from him, but she moved into an outcropping of rock that halted her progress. "You're bleeding," he said lowly, motioning to her stomach.

Tenten gave him an unreadable look, then glanced down at her stomach. She exhaled through her nose. "Damn it," she murmured. "Not again."

"You should have said something," Kankurō continued, scowling. "There are many more entrances we could have taken."

Tenten glared at him. "Are you hard of hearing or something?" she spat. "Didn't I just tell you to treat me like a shinobi? Do you know any shinobi that would complain to their mission leader about not being able to follow instructions?"

Kankurō took a deep breath – he had been trying to keep his frustration and agitation under control for a while now. He was pretty much at the end of his rope. Kankurō grabbed her jaw, pulling her face close to his. "I don't know _any shinobi _that would fail to inform their mission leader about injuries sustained during training."

Tenten's eyes filled with surprise, and she tried to lean away from him. Kankurō kept a hold of her chin, glaring into her widened eyes. "I don't know _any shinobi_," Kankurō continued, "that would start a mission without first being physically fit and prepared. I don't know_ any shinobi_ that would be so careless as to train for twenty hours straight before a mission."

Kankurō loomed over her, noticing that she shocked look on her face was slowly turning pink with frustration and anger. "If you want to be treated like a shinobi then you better start acting like one! Do you think I'm a jounin for no reason at all? I've lead more missions than you've even been part of. Who do you think you're talking to?"

With that he let go of her jaw with a swift gesture. Many emotions flashed through Tenten's eyes – fury, shame, embarrassment – but she didn't say a word. She turned her face from his, lowing her eyes and clenching her jaw. "I understand," she murmured softly, still not looking at him.

Kankurō backed away in surprise.

"In the future, I will take those things into consideration."

Without another word, Tenten put her shirt back on, fastening the toggles, and didn't look at him for the rest of the day.

* * *

jian – a double-edged Chinese fighting sword often called the Gentlemen of Weapons (for a perfect example of this weapon, watch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon where the main character wields Green Destiny, a jian blade)

wushu – more properly known as kungfu, and it encompasses many schools of martial arts, including edged weapon fighting

hiden jutsu – literally _secret techniques_; jutsu passed down from one generation to the next in certain clans or regions; they do not require a specific genetic ability, so are not to be confused with kekkei genkai

fūinjutsu – literally_ sealing techniques_; a type of jutsu that seals objects, living beings, chakra, and a wide variety of other things within another object, usually a scroll

dango – basically dessert on a stick, similar to dumplings

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm totally a jerk. I know. I took way too long to update. Unfortunately, I'm cursed with a job. That I have to go to. Or I don't get paid. I'm also a full time student. I'm also simultaneously writing parts of the sequel as I write this interlude. I'm a busy girl. However, much thanks to those who have been reviewing! Keep it up, because I love the encouragement…and the attention…


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